


Twilight Gardens

by moonofmorrigan



Category: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Other, Profanity, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2016-11-07
Packaged: 2018-08-29 13:54:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8492299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonofmorrigan/pseuds/moonofmorrigan
Summary: Tifa Lockhart is a transfer to student the prestigious Shin-ra University. As the story unfolds and she meets up with new people and old friends, romance may bloom from an unlikely source.





	1. Episode 01 - Before I'm Dead

**Author's Note:**

> This is an old fanfic idea that I may resurrect if people seem to like it enough. It was originally meant to be part made a web series, ending with a final episode when the "ratings" dropped. I never really published it since I wasn't sure how the public would receive it. So, if you enjoy it please let me know, and I'll start writing more episodes. ^_^ Song titles are the "episode" names. By the way, "Mineki" is Yazoo. He’s sort of gender fluid in this story.

_**Episode 1** _

_**Before I'm Dead** _

A bustling campus on move-in day was never a pretty sight. If you're a freshman or a new transfer it always seems worse. Tifa Lockhart was the latter of the two. A sophomore turned new kid in not only the campus of the prestigious Shin-ra University but in the city itself. She pulled her bag further up on her shoulder as she walked through the maze of buildings and headed for the dorms known as Avalanche. Her other bag she toted along as quickly as she could behind her. She had walked around the campus area a couple of days before to avoid getting lost and therefore looking like an idiot on her first real trip around the place, and making that the first impression of the people around her as well. With all the freshmen around she didn't know why she worried as she strode as confidently forward as she could.

 

She went up a staircase, and through the double doors, into a wooden paneled room where a reception desk was stuck off to one side. Her ears were assaulted with the sudden peak in sound caused by the people around her. People were talking, yelling, whispering and just lingering in all corners. The only clear area was the reception desk which held 4 short lines. A brunette woman with a rather stuck up look on her face stood behind the desk where Tifa got in line. Beside her were a red haired man who looked and acted like taking things seriously did not suit him well. Beside him an African American man with sunglasses and a shaven bald head. Ending the line was a silver haired... she couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman. The person was dressed in unisex clothes, and wore some makeup but had that androgynous look that could go either way. The person's hair came almost to "his" waist, and "his" eyes were green as an sea. She stood pondering "him" so long that she hadn't noticed that the line moved and she was now up.

 

"Next sleeping beauty!" she heard the woman yelp at her exasperated.

 

She snapped back in to attention and walked up still eying the last person in th RA lineup. She signed her paperwork, got her dorm keys, key card and went on her way to find her dorm. Weaving her way through the mess of stairways and the people randomly stopping to either chat or look confused took her about 15 minutes in what she imagined was a task that would normally be 2 to 5.

 

A headache was coming on. Finally coming to her room, "2nd floor, down a thin hallway and to the right" as she was instructed by the R.A. she found room 213. She set her tote aside and opened her door, and entered. After banging her heavy tote on the sides of the door before getting it and her bag through, she kicked the door shut behind her, and she claimed the bunk nearest the window not noticing the brown haired girl on the other side of the room. She swung her tote up on the bed and let out a breath of relief before finally looking around her and sitting down on the only empty space left on the bed. Upon seeing two green eyes studying her from the other side of the room she jumped with a yelp. She looked around her some more and noticed that there were 4 beds in the room. Fortunately, only the one other person was in there.

 

"Sorry," the girl mumbled shyly, then went back to the book that was laying open on her lap.

 

Tifa mumbled the word "o...k" and got up and began unpacking.

 

There was suddenly a lot of squealing outside that made both women in the room look up towards the door, and it opening to reveal a girl with short hair and wearing tight, tom boyish clothes.

 

"AWESOOOME!" she exclaimed excitedly and practically ran into the room bags on her shoulders swinging. She plopped them down on the floor next to the bed beside Tifa's and jumped on it. "You're Tifa right?"

 

"Yeah... you are?" Tifa asked walking to the edge of the bed apprehensively and extending a hand.

 

The girl grabbed it eagerly, "Yuffie, nice to meet you. And...." she turned to the brown haired girl on the other bed and her smiles turned to a snobbish frown, "oh."

 

Tifa looked at the brown haired girl and watching her roll her eyes and go back to her book. Tifa raised an eyebrow and turned back to Yuffie. "Wonder where our 4th is?" Yuffie wondered aloud looking around and both seeming to notice that the side beside the brunette.

 

"Still checking people in I imagine," replied the girl on the other side.

 

"What? We can't have a RA staying in here?!" Yuffie practically screamed at her in disbelief. The girl shut her book with a snap and gave Yuffie a very smug, satisfied look.

 

"Even better. It's one of the Chancellor Jenova's kids."

 

"I thought she had all boys." Tifa wondered aloud.

 

"Wouldn't know." the girl replied.

 

"Really? I figured _you_ of all people would know that." Yuffie replied with an insinuated tone.

 

The girl ignored her, ""But here it doesn't really matter if they are male or female... you can still be roomed with them. All I know is, he or she is not an RA. Just... helping at the desk. Your guess was as good as mine."

 

"I'm sure you'll have it all figured out by the end of the semester though... AERIESSSS."

 

The other girl merely got up and threw her book down on her bed, walked to Yuffie, gave her an insincere smile, and walked towards the door, then turned around and bowed in Tifa's direction.

 

"Aeris. I'm sure our little friend here will be more than happy to fill you in on my personal life." She looked at Yuffie, "And not at all Yuffieeee. I'm sure _you're_ as capable of it as I am." She turned and went out, immediately getting lost in a crowd. Yuffie blew a raspberry at her retreating back.

 

Tifa let a tolerant smile pass across her features, as she looked back at her other roomie. Yuffie let out a laugh and looked at the open doorway then at Tifa.

 

"Aeris Gainsborough. Resident slut and wanna be high class woman. "Wanna be" the operating word. I knew her in High School. Can't think of one guy I know who hasn't screwed her. Come to think of it, a couple women claim they have too." She laughed a little evilly then.

 

Tifa gave a short insincere, mockery of laugh then turned, rolled her eyes and went back to unpacking. She did her best to ignore the chattering freshman behind her. After a while of this Tifa couldn't make the excuse of unpacking her reason for ignoring the girl. She had figured out that she wasn't all that bad... just a bit on the proud side. She didn't know about anyone else but she figured she was going to give Aeris a chance. Even if no one else would.

 

"Are you going out to the festival?" Yuffie asked Tifa as finally Tifa sat on her bed and lay down. She shook her head.

 

"Headache. I'll see you during the meet and greet tonight."

 

"K..." she gave her a peace sign and practically ran out of the room in excitement.

 

Tifa shook her head and closed her eyes. All was relatively quiet for several minutes except for the chattering and bustle in the hallways where she would hear random conversations. She was jolted out of her zoning when a soft voice which she thought was masculine spoke to her from the doorway.

 

"If you're going to nap, you really should keep the door closed and locked. Never know who could be coming in."

 

She opened her eyes and sat up as she watched the person she has seen from behind the counter with the silver hair closing the door behind... him?

 

"The others left their keys. Besides I figured you'd have to come sooner or later...?"

 

S/he smiled and walked over to the bed that was apparently his or hers or whatever this person was... the voice was masculine... but could also pass for a deep woman's voice. She couldn't figure it out. "Yazoo I believe is the name you were given for me, but I prefer Mineki."

 

"Nice to meet you Mineki."

 

They looked at each other for several long moments before Tifa nervously lay back down and she closed her eyes from the light, "I'm sorry... I'm afraid I have a bit of a headache."

 

A small chuckle came from Mineki's side of the room. "As do I."

 

Her eyes opened when she heard a click and the lights went out. The room was for the most part dark now since the drapes were closed and let in hardly any light at all.

 

"I imagine we'll know when Yuffie returns." Tifa said from across the way as she heard the rustle of clothes from Mineki's area, and closed her eyes turning on her side.

 

"I imagine so. She seemed the loud sort." She heard bed springs creaking and a sign of relief from her/his area.

 

"Ah, can I ask you something?" Tifa asked squeezing her eyes tighter.

 

"Am I male or female?" Mineki replied in a non-concerned way.

 

Tifa bit her lip. "Yeah."

 

She heard a snap and then a redness of light out of the corner of her eye. She heard a rustle of clothing, a zipper being undone. She turned over and opened her eyes as she sat up. Seeing a beautifully formed male torso in her line of sight. Then he appeared completely male. Without a doubt. He gave her a nod, then covered his chest back up and once again, the confusion of his gender appeared in her mind again.

 

He sat down. "I've just told you one of my secrets," he gave her an amused smile, "I hope I can trust you to keep it."

 

Her brow came together in confusion, "What do you mean?"

 

He looked away with a smile she could tell was well practiced and used for hiding what he was thinking and feeling, "If someone straight out asks me, I will not deny my gender. But you're actually the first person since I was in high school to ask it. You see, I don't identify myself as male or female. Sometimes I even like to wear women's clothing... so, even though I don't hide it, I don't advertise it either."

 

Tifa cleared her throat, "So, you're gay then?" for some reason she noticed a hint of disappointment in her voice.

 

A smirk came to his face, "No. In fact, I like women very, very much."

 

"Ah..." then couldn't help giving him a confused look. "I promise your secret is safe with me then. But I will warn, Yuffie may ask you too ."

 

He shut off the lamp light and lay back down, "I would be very confused if she didn't."

 

"So, I have a feeling everyone will know if she does."

 

A laugh came from his lips as he turned over. "Who said she was going to get an answer in the first place?"


	2. Episode 02 - Everything Under The Sun

_ **Episode 2** _

_ **Everything Under The Sun** _

  


They were awakened by loud knocking on the door that was punctuated by obscenities. Mineki groaned and forced himself up as Tifa mumbled something along the lines of "fuck off", rolled over and pulled her pillow over her head. He couldn't help being amused by that, and opened the door with a flourish of his hand to welcome a red faced Yuffie into the room, followed by a more calmer looking Aeris.

  


"What the hell did you people think you were doing locking the door, huh?"

  


Mineki gave her his unreadable smile, and shut the door with a quiet click.

  


"I mean for the love of the goddess! We've been out there for over 15 minutes!" Yuffie yelled right in his face.

  


Aeris walked over to her bed rolled her eyes and commented, "More like 2 minutes."

  


He couldn't help chuckling at that, then put his hands on his hips and bent down a notch to be face to face with her, "Perhaps then next time you'll remember your keys."

  


She looked like she opened her mouth to make a comeback, but nothing came out, so she prissed her lips together, then stuck her tongue out at him.

  


He stood up at his full height and with an unchanging expression said, "Don't stick that thing out at me unless you plan to do something with it," and turned walking to his bed, laying back as he sat down.

  


Yuffie's mouth stayed wide open while Aeris had an amused smile on her face. He noticed that Tifa had began turning over and sat up one eyed peering around the room with a death glare. "Sleeping Beauty has awakened."

  


She grabbed her pillow and flung it at him, "Will everyone stop calling me that!"

  


He caught it with a laugh pretending to be knocked over. Aeris reached out with a black box in hand towards Tifa, "I thought you may be hungry."

  


Tifa took it with a smile, as Mineki noted Yuffie seemed amazed and outraged at the same time. Then Yuffie turned to him, "We didn't get _you_ anything."

  


"Good, I'd be afraid to take it anyway Princess." he said nonchalantly as he got up and put his jacket on.

  


"Why?" Aeris asked.

  


He nodded at Yuffie, "If she would have given it to me, I'd have to check it for poison."

  


He grabbed his keys, purposely dangling them in Yuffie's face as he pranced to the door, opened it and left hearing Yuffie yelling, "You sorry son of a bitch! If you're even a man at all! WHICH I DOUBT!"

  


He let a small chuckle come from his lips as he closed the door. "As you say Princess," then weaved his way through the crowd and downstairs. He scanned the common room for a few moments then located his brother Kadaj, and of all people his other brother Sephiroth in the crowd. "What's he doing here?" he asked himself out loud as he noticed almost everyone in the room was eying the two in the corner on a sofa, who were laughing about something. When he made his way over Sephiroth was the first person to notice him after several long moments. "Mineki," he greeted with the same smile Mineki used on a day to day basis. Emotionless, cynical... mocking almost.

  


Kadaj looked at him and scooted over, "Hey Ya-ya."

  


Mineki growled at the nickname as he sat down, "How may times do I have to tell you not to call me that?"

  


"How many times have you deserved it?" He looked him over and made a clicking sound in disgust, "Do you _have_ to dress like that?"

  


Mineki rolled his eyes and turned to watch the crowd watching them and milling around, "Yes, I do."

  


"Kadaj, leave him alone. Takes a lot of guts to do that in my opinion." Sephiroth said in reprimanding voice.

  


"Personally, I thought he just did it to get attention."

  


Sephiroth chuckled at that, and Mineki could tell he was eying him. Then he heard the question he was dreading, "So are you male or female right now?"

  


Mineki looked over at him and replied as emotionless as possible - these conversations always were uncomfortable, and he couldn't shake the feeling that it was Sephiroth's quiet way of mocking him, "Neither and both."

  


"Well, I don't know how you expect to get laid if you keep dressing up as a piece of ass yourself." Kadaj said looking around the room, noticing every female in the room no doubt.

  


"At least I can get away with it. If you tried it, you'd look like Charles Manson in drag." The two turned to look each other in the eye at the same time.

  


"You're such an asshole sometimes." Kadaj replied, and looked away.

  


"Takes one to know one." Mineki whispered under his breath as Sephiroth tapped the arm of the sofa pretending to ignore them.

  


"What are you majoring in this year Mineki?" Sephiroth asked after a couple moments of long silence.

  


"Psychology, english, history..."

  


"Psychology?"

  


"Yeah, so maybe I can figure out why my kid brother is more fucked up in the head than I am."

  


Kadaj scowled at both of them as they enjoyed a chuckle at his expense. He turned to Sephiorth, "Why are you here any... whoa..." he trailed off as he looked at the hallway. The other brothers followed his gaze. "Who is THAT?"

  


Mineki closed his eyes and opened them watching as Tifa walked by being summoned over by a brown haired lady sitting with a dark brooding vampire-ish looking man. "Tifa Lockheart. Sophomore. Just started this year. Is my roommate. Touch her and I'll kill you."

  


Sephiroth chuckled at the final statement and seeing Kadaj's amused smiled as he looked back at Mineki, "Oooo so protective. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you liked her."

  


Mineki got up and straightened his jacket, "And if I didn't know better I'd say you were a pompous twit." He nodded with an emotionless smile, and made his way past his brothers.

  


"That's because _I am._ " Kadaj replied with hint of accusation in his voice.

  


Mineki merely cocked his head to the side with his smile in place and walked to the door and left.

  


Kadaj shook his head as he looked in Tifa's direction, "How long do you think it'll take me to get her into my bed?"

  


"I'd say you'll be hanging from a noose before it happens." Sephiroth replied getting up.

  


"What's that supposed to mean?" Kadaj asked following his example.

  


Sephiroth chuckled, and gave the teen a hard look and laid a hand on his shoulder, "Because he _does_ like her. And if I was you, I'd stay away from what is _his_. Now, I really must get back to the adminstrative buildings before your exhausting meeting starts. Got one of my own." Then walked to the door.

  


"It isn't over til it's over. She isn't his yet you know." Kadaj said with a cocky grin.

  


Sephiroth paused as he opened it and looked at him, "No, no she's not. But I can guarantee, she'll never be _yours_. Good night."

  


"What the fuck?" was all Kadaj could say as the door shut behind the silver haired man who just left.

  


* * *

  


  


  


"Lucretia and Vincent, I can't believe you're here!" Tifa exclaimed as she hugged the brown haired girl.

  


Lucretia hugged her in return as Vincent merely raised his soda pop can up to her and took a sip going back to looking brooding and unapproachable. Tifa sat down and watched him for a few moments before saying, "You really shouldn't do that."

  


"Do what?" he asked looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

  


"Do that whole mysterious, leave me alone thing. Makes all the women fall in love with you."

  


"My apologies." He then offered a wide smile.

  


Tifa and Lucretia gave him a disturbed look. "On second thought, go back to being dark and brooding and angsty."

  


"Thank you," he said taking another drink the smile immediately leaving his face.

  


"Who's that I wonder?" Lucretia asked as Aeris entered looking self conscious and lost.

  


"One of my roommates."

  


"Is that a good or bad thing?" Lucretia asked jokingly.

  


"I'm not entirely sure yet. I heard she gets around if you know what I mean. If you can take my other room mate's opinion of her accurately." Tifa said watching Aeris look at her, give a nod recognition and starting to make her way over.

  


"Well, at least she's got a cure for relieving the stress of studying then." Both women laughed in unison. Finally the girl made her way to their seats.

  


"May I sit with you?" she asked, clearly expecting to be refused.

  


There were nods of agreement all around.

  


"So, Aeris, what can you tell us about you, and who you know here? You're a sophomore too right?" Lucretia asked as all eyes turned to face her.

  


She squirmed for a moment, "Well, I'm from the local west side public schools. Got in last year. Majoring in horticulture and languages."

  


"Do you like it here?" Tifa asked seeing the girl clam up again and look around her nervously.

  


She gave her a wide eyed look, "The professors are unmatched. I just don't usually like my company outside of the classroom."

  


"From what I noticed for how people treat you, I don't blame you." Tifa said grabbing Vincent's soda and taking swig as he sat wide mouthed and narrow eyed watching.

  


"I take it Yuffie has been telling tales of some of my high school... adventures."

  


"Just that you like the romantic company of... people." Tifa said trying to think of delicate way to put it.

  


Aeris nodded solemnly. "I've known a lot of... partners in my day. But I don't sleep with anything that moves."

  


Lucretia gave her smile, "We didn't say that honey. Besides we don't care as long as you don't sleep with our men."

  


Aeris face brightened, "I refuse to sleep with any taken man."

  


"Good." Lucretia grabbed Vincent's hand and held it tightly on the table giving her a pointed look. Everyone noted Aeris taking note of it with an unreadable smile. Lucretia nodded towards the crowd, "So, what can you tell us?"

  


Aeris looked around her then nodded towards the red haired man and the bald black man from RA desk earlier, "Reno and Rude. Biggest dorks on the planet. But they're both cool too. Not judgemental. Just exact opposites. Reno is... perky and hyper. Rude is cool and collected. Martial Arts majors."

  


"Wondered about them." Tifa said aloud looking at them.

  


She looked around and nodded next towards a black haired man sitting with a spikey blond haired man, "Zack and..."

  


"Cloud?" Tifa asked looking harder.

  


Aeris cleared her throat, "Yes." Tifa looked back at her expectantly, "Perfect gentlemen. Though Cloud is a little angsty and whining at times. Bestest friends in the world though. Though it is rumored that Cloud is gay."

  


"Gay?" Tifa repeated.

  


Aeris nodded and went on naming off a couple other men and women, then she stopped at a silver haired teen who was surrounded by women and laughing heartily. Beside him just sitting down was Mineki. "Ah, Jenova's kids. Kadaj and his sibling Mineki or Yazoo. They have two older brothers. Kadaj is obviously the youngest. He's smart enough, but spends more time chasing ass than cracking on the books. At least that's the way he was in high school. Loz is in military and overseas right now, otherwise he's be in his senior year here now. Sephiroth..."

  


"Sephiroth?" Lucretia interrupted with an incredulous voice.

  


"Yes, THE Sephiroth is the oldest and has just enrolled as the guidance counselor here. I imagine there will be a lot of people complaining of problems as a result."

  


"Bloody bastard." Vincent mumbled to himself causing Tifa and Lucretia to giggle, and Aeris to give him a quizzical look. Lucretia waved her hand in dismissal.

  


"And Mineki?" Tifa asked watching the long haired man sitting with his arms crossed over his chest, giving tolerant smiles to those around him and some blond woman obviously making moves on him by the way she kept leaning closer and closer into him. Tifa scowled for a reason she couldn't define at the scene.

  


Aeris cleared her throat, making Tifa look back, letting her know she caught that look, "Mineki is a sophomore should be junior if she had not taken a year off between semesters. She just came back this year, but because, obviously her mother obviously owns this school college and town in general that made it ok for him to have some RA duties with out the title. Cool, calculating and no one is quite sure if Mineki is a man or a woman. But she has no objections to be referred to as he or she. Since she looks so good in a skirt I call her a she. But you can't tell one way or the other if she's a man or a woman even by the way she acts. She's the mystery of our group. But one thing IS for sure, she likes women. Not that it's a bad thing."

  


"Does he... she chase women?" Tifa asked looking harder at Aeris, "No. Doesn't have to. They all come to her. But I have yet to hear of her sleeping with anyone. She likes to look but not touch. Personally kind of glad to have her in our company this year. Can take care of that brat Yuffie." Aeris said Yuffie's name with no malice just a sense of tiredness was in her voice.

  


"Why does she dislike you so much?" Tifa asked thinking about the way she treated her in the room earlier.

  


She shrugged. "If I knew that, then I'd be the smartest person in the world."

  


Tifa looked over at Yuffie who was sitting just outside the circle where Kadaj was with a small group of freshman. Then she looked back at the blond.

  


"Who's the blond?"

  


"Huh?" Aeris asked looking over at Mineki and the blond girl. "Oh her. Elena. The one who was supposed to be doing the job Mineki was this morning. Totally NUTS after our one professor Tseng though. Poor thing."

  


They all shared a small laugh at that. "That handsome?" Lucretia asked.

  


"No, just that charming." Vincent answered for Aeris as he gently nudged a lock of Lucretia's hair out of her eyes. Receiving a living smile in return.

  


"Oh, God." Tifa exclaimed sticking out her tongue and making a gagging motion as she turned around as they started kissing. Aeris merely laughed and got up to get a soda.


End file.
